(Linden, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports Panora EMS was called into service to assist an individual that had been injured in a horse riding accident along the Middle Raccoon River, Sunday. The incident happened at around 9:47-a.m., when a woman fell off a horse and into a ravine, in rural Linden.

Authorities said “After a tremendous effort by our staff, Panora Fire Dept, Guthrie County Sheriff’s office, and our partners with Lifeflight, the patient was able to be extricated and made it to the hospital safely.”

Panora EMS Facebook photos

The woman’s name was not immediately released.

(Radio Iowa) – National party leaders will decide the fate of the Iowa DEMOCRATIC Party’s 2024 Caucuses AFTER the November election. A group of Democratic National Committee members were to meet this week and recommend which five states should get to host the early voting contests in the next presidential election. That decision is now delayed. Democrats from Iowa, along with 15 states and Puerto Rico are vying to host the opening voting in the party’s next presidential nominating process.

Iowa Democratic Party chairman Ross Wilburn says it’s important for small rural states like Iowa to have a voice in picking the party’s next nominee. Some national party leaders say Iowa lacks the kind of diversity and General Election competitiveness that early voting states should have. The complexity of figuring out which Democratic candidate has won past Iowa Caucuses is also an issue. Iowa Democrats have proposed dramatic changes to simplify their Caucus process.

The Republican National Committee has already decided the Iowa G-O-P’s Caucuses will remain first in 2024. Iowa Republicans take a straw poll at the start of their Caucus meetings. Democrats have required participants to openly declare which candidates they support, with a potential for two rounds of voting if certain candidates lack enough support in a precinct meeting.

(Kimballton, Iowa) – City officials in Kimballton are asking residents to boil the water before drinking it, or choose an alternate source. According to the City Clerk’s Office, the Kimballton Water Supply has a problem in the distribution system, and lost pressure on Sunday.  Due to the potential for bacterial contamination, it is being recommended that the water be boiled before using for drinking or cooking or that an alternative source is used. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water.

Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. The water may be used for bathing and other similar purposes. If the water is colored, use an alternative source such as bottled water.

For more information, please contact Ryan Billheimer, Water operator by affidavit at {641-740-1942}.

General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791. When water service is restored, there may be air in your water piping, and the water may be discolored.

It is recommended to run the first water from a faucet that does not have an aerator screen, such as a bathtub or hose bib. Open the tap slowly to allow the air to escape. Once the water is flowing, allow the faucet to run until it is clear. The water may be cloudy at first due to air in the water or particles that dislodged as the pipes filled with water. This should clear fairly quickly. If water is cloudy or colored throughout the house and it does not clear after allowing it to run for several minutes, use an alternative source such as bottled water and contact the person above. The system has been repaired, repressurized, and bacteria samples will be collected.

This advisory is a precaution until bacterial sample results are available. You will be notified when the results are available, and the advisory is lifted.

The system is working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to resolve the situation.

(Radio Iowa) – The winning ticket for this weekend’s massive Mega Millions jackpot was sold in Illinois, but five tickets purchased in Iowa came within one number of the jackpot combination and are prize-winners, too. A ticket sold at the Big 10 Mart in Bettendorf for Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing is worth two million dollars. It’s one of six tickets sold across the country that matched all but the so-called “Mega Ball” and the person who bought the ticket in Bettendorf paid the extra dollar, doubling the payout to two million.

Four other tickets sold in Iowa for Friday night’s drawing are worth 10-thousand dollars each for picking the “Mega Ball” number and four of the five other numbers. Those four tickets with a 10-thousand dollar prize were sold in Manchester, Mount Pleasant, Newton and Storm Lake*.

The winning numbers in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing were 13-36-45-57-67 and Mega Ball 14.

(*The addresses for the sites where the four $10,000 tickets were sold are as follows: New Star at 702 First Avenue in Newton; Casey’s at 1305 W. Commercial St. in Manchester; Hy-Vee Gas at 1702 E. Washington Street in Mount Pleasant and Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh Express at 1260 Lake Avenue in Storm Lake.)

(Ute, Iowa) – The pilot of a crop dusting airplane died Saturday afternoon, when the aircraft struck electrical lines and crashed onto a road. The Monona County Sheriff’s Office reports their 9-1-1 Center was notified at around 1:09-p.m. about the accident which occurred near 230th and Teak Avenue, near Ute.

The pilot died at the scene. His name was being withheld, pending notification of family. The FAA and NTSB will conduct an investigation into the accident.

The Monona County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Ute Fire and Ambulance, Western Iowa Power, Monona County Secondary Roads, and St. Lukes Pathology.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Beautiful weather continues for the Cass County Fair in Atlantic. Today (July 31st), activities begins at 7:30-a.m. with the 4H and FFA Swine Show. The tractor ride takes off at 8:30-a.m., and the Poultry Show starts at 10:00-a.m.

The Decorators Showcase takes place from Noon until 4:00-p.m., the Pig Pals Show is at One O’clock, and the Pedal Tractor Pulls at 2:30. A County Fair Church Service begins at 4:30-p.m., and the Cow/Calf Show is 5:30, with the Feeder Calf Show at 6-p.m.

The Horse Fun Show follows, at 6:30 p.m., and the featured evening event: Golf Cart Races, start at 7. Today’s featured meal is the Windsor Chop. Commercial Booths are open from Noon until 9-p.m.  KJAN will be broadcasting live from the Fair in our booth between the Commercial Buildings, from 4-until 7-p.m. (The full schedule can be seen below. Click on the image to enlarge)

(Indianola, Iowa) – An incident during the National Balloon Classic in Indianola, Saturday, resulted in several people being injured. According to reports, a hot-air balloon involved in the event struck as power line. The incident happened at around 5-a.m. Officials with the Balloon Classic said the pilot and three others were in the basket at the time. They were each treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

In a lead-up to the Classic that took place last Monday, one balloon pilot made a landing in a Des Moines backyard. The balloon landed in the 1700 block of Jefferson Avenue. The pilot told KCCI the landing was “Tight but successful.” No one was injured. 22 balloons filled the air that day, others experienced off-course landings, including in a doctor’s office parking lot and a golf course.

The pilot who made a controlled landing in the backyard, blamed a shift in winds for his incident.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Department of Criminal Investigation was requested to assist the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Saturday, following an Officer-involved shooting incident. Officials say at approximately 3:52 a.m., Saturday, Cedar Rapids Police officers conducted a vehicle stop for erratic driving in the 2200 block of Glass Road NE.

The driver of the vehicle brandished a firearm and gunfire was exchanged between the driver and two Cedar Rapids police officers. The driver sustained gunshot injures and is currently being treated at the University of Iowa Hospital.  The police officers were not injured.

The name of the injured subject was not immediately released, pending notification of family.  The names of the police officers were also not immediately released.

(Red Oak, Iowa) –  Firefighters in Red Oak were called to a structure fire early this (Sunday) morning, in Red Oak.  Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency Director Brian Hamman reports crews were dispatched a little after 1:10-a.m. to the Bunge Corporation at 2049 Fernwood Ave., for a reported fire within the structure of the building.

Upon arrival of law enforcement and fire officials, it was determined that the fire was located within the northeast dryer stack on the exterior portion of the building. Crews on scene commenced aerial operations to extinguish the dryer stack fire and worked with onsite maintenance to ensure all fire was extinguished. (All photos show are courtesy of Brian Hamman)

Hamman says all fire and water damaged was confined to the outside dryer stack with no damage to the interior portion of the building. The fire was located in the same dryer stack as previous fires, most recently as March 22, 2022. No injuries to onsite staff or firefighters on scene. Crews were on scene for roughly two hours.

The Red Oak Fire Department was assisted by the Red Oak Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery County Communication.